Northern Red-Bellied Cooters — Feeding Time!

Northern red-bellied cooters (Pseudemys rubriventris), formerly known as Plymouth redbelly turtles, are listed as an endangered species within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a threatened species nationally by the federal government.  These individuals hatched in September of 2008 and were presented by the state to the National Marine Life Center to headstart through the winter.  They have grown significantly since last September and are within a few weeks of release back into the wild.  These turtles are voracious eaters of tasty, leafy greens and approach each meal with real gusto.

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Northern Red-Bellied Cooters @ NMLC

For more information about Northern red-bellied cooters, click here (pseudemys_rubriventris) and read a copy of the Adobe Acrobat fact sheet on this species issued by Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.